Just what is a mindset?
A definition I found is that a mindset is an established set of attitudes. It influences how you think, feel, and behave in any given situation and plays a part in how you cope with challenges. Your mindset is pivotal in what you want and whether you achieve it. That’s why it’s essential to understand mindsets when setting and accomplishing goals.
I’ve learned that there are two basic mindsets: fixed and growth.
A fixed mindset tends to believe that things can’t be changed (“that’s just the way I am,” or “that’s just the way things are”). A person with a fixed mindset is likelier to fear obstacles, give up, or perhaps not even try.
A growth mindset tends to believe that things can change if you work at it (“I am a work in progress” or “my business will grow if I apply myself.”). A person with a growth mindset sees opportunities to learn and grow and perseveres in trying to change.
Where do mindsets come from?
Most mindsets are developed in childhood. Parents are the most responsible for developing mindsets in their children, but other influential people in the child’s life can also have an effect. I remember learning just how much influence my words had in developing a mindset in my son when he was only four years old. When he couldn’t find something, like one of his toys, he would come to me and say, “Mommy, I can’t find my toy.” I would ask him, “Have you looked for it?” “Yes, but I can’t find it.” Usually, I would stop what I was doing and help him look, and the missing item was almost always right in plain sight. So, annoyed, I would inevitably tell him, “You sure aren’t a very good looker, are you?”
Then one day, I asked for his help finding an item I had misplaced. He responded, “I won’t be able to find it. I’m not a very good looker.” And I realized I had planted a thought in his mind that it wouldn’t matter if he looked for something—he would never find it. That taught me a lesson to be careful about the words I spoke to my children, especially regarding their abilities.
The good news is that mindsets can be changed.
Our brains have a remarkable ability to change and grow. If we have a fixed or negative mindset, there are things we can do to change direction.
The brain has pathways of thought. Grooves are created when specific thoughts are constantly repeated {“I can’t do this.”}. After a time, the thoughts automatically move through these grooves without you having to consciously think about it. That is how habits are formed.
But we can change the pathways of our thoughts. I learned when I was with a counselor that I needed to change some negative thinking about myself and replace it with positive thinking. But our habitual, automatic thoughts are pretty slippery and challenging to consciously catch because they are so familiar to us. But if we take time to identify that negative thought (“I can’t do this”) and replace it with a positive thought (“I know I can do this if I keep trying”), eventually, that thought pathway in our brain changes and the automatic negative thought turns into an automatic positive thought. Make sense?
Take time to determine what type of mindset you have.
Is it a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? When it comes to your business, is your mindset fixed that you must do it all yourself? You can help change that fixed mindset to a growth mindset when you open your mind to bringing on a virtual assistant to help you. A virtual assistant will be a trusted partner, coming alongside you, ready to step in and lighten your load, allowing you to take care of your clients and grow your business.
See if you can identify any negative thoughts that automatically run through your brain, preventing you from achieving your business goals.
The more you open your mind to possibilities, the more you will succeed!
Please check out my other blog, “Thoughts for Your Day.”
